Marathon in the desert

THE HOTTEST IT got during my visit was 117 degrees.

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But the absence of crowds was a plus: At night, under a full moon, I swam in the pool – which stays at a pleasant 87 degrees year-round – and didn’t see another soul. I walked the lush gardens at midday, enjoying the shade of 100-year-old date palms next to a shimmering green pond. In these surroundings, not only did the heat feel tolerable, it was almost decadent.

One afternoon, I drove 20 minutes to Badwater Basin in the park. The dried-up lake bed is the lowest point in North America, and high on visitors’ must-see lists. Walking onto the glittering salt flats, I felt like I was inside an artist’s sketch pad, with only the landscape’s bare elements filled in: flat basin, bare rock, sun, salt. It was oddly peaceful. It was also hot. I tried to limit my time outdoors to the park’s suggested 10 minutes, but it ended up being closer to 17 because I was interviewing tourists.